How a Penang-born chef won two Michelin stars in Singapore

Mano Thevar grew up in Penang in a Tamil family, then trained in classical French technique. He opened his eponymous restaurant on Keong Saik Road in 2020 — a year that was supposed to be impossible to launch a restaurant in. Within months it had a Michelin star; by 2022, two. The restaurant has since moved to Mohamad Sultan Road on the Singapore River. His cooking blends the techniques of French haute cuisine with the Tamil-Penang flavours of his childhood — Brittany lobster in curry beurre blanc, Chettinad chicken roti. The 'Experience Menu' is the only option; bookings open weeks in advance.